Operation KoroS
by Nagy Bari
Summary: The terrorist, the general, the waitress, same time, same town. AU, everyone is about 21-25 years old and the most of them never met before. Warning for Karma's slightly horrific thoughts and black humor.
1. The rythm of the night

_"Do not confuse good tactics with good luck." - unknown_

* * *

Karma sat silently on his chair, gazing into his mug with no expression. His mind was troubled, his problem was global at least if not universal, or whatever you would call it, it was trouble nevertheless: being promoted to general with the demon of war panting on your neck was not a pleasant situation. Even if you were demonic yourself. Even if you enjoyed serious and deadly situations.

This war was different, _of_ _course_ it was different.

The war against terrorism.

Everyone knows what are these and how they work, but never in his prideful life would have he imagined to actually be ordered to solve the problem himself. His task was to identify the leader of the newest terrorist group, capture and… execute him? Maybe. That far they did not get in the planning.

This new terrorist group was smart, witty, clever and hell annoying.

They bombed buildings with apparently no pattern and made no demands so far, only leaving a signature of a smiling yellow figure, an octopus kind of thing, and only one time they left the signature as KoroS. That explained everything, yeah, how could they even say they were stuck…

Of course not. That signature messed up the whole profile they had on the terrorists.

First they thought they were some new-anarchist group aiming for buildings that were all a little odd, or old fashioned. Then after the third bomb they had to give up on this idea. All three houses were so different there was no connection at all.

The signature was discovered later at the first building, well hidden under the rumble and nasty scene.

That was the point when Karma's superior asked him to leave the room. Confidential.

Yeah…

He took a slip from his mug.

Solve the problem but thou shall not know any possible helping information of the case as thou shall _only_ solve the problem and catch those terrorists.

How nice of them.

" Anything else I could get you?"

The small, pleasant voice startled him just a tiny bit, as it was fully unexpected, and he looked up at the waitress.

" No thank you. I would like to pay."

" Certainly sir."

He smirked at the title, she could be around his age. A few moments later he was out on the streets sharpening his senses and searching his mind for any possible answer.

* * *

Nagisa sat in his room his eyes on the gigantic map of the town hanging on the wall. A small smile played on his lips as he followed the yellow lines on the paper. The plan was far from perfect, his maximalist brain told him but he couldn't stop himself from _adoring_ his work. Not perfect but effective. He looked at his watch and got up, stretching his arms. Time to go.

* * *

Akari sighed from tiredness. She had worse days but this one wasn't easy either. It was calm and filled with friendly customers that's a plus no matter how you look, but! A non-stop work of 8 hours without being able to sit down for more than 5 minutes could kill your happy smile.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled to herself. She had worse. At least the customers were mostly kind. No senseless arguments and drunk flirting. She hated that. Not that it happened that often.

To be honest it never happened to her exactly jet usually she was the one handling those drunken nuisances when they harassed her workmates. Being flat chested had its perks, she said to herself with a bittersweet laugh. Although learning self-defense came more handy.

She was working at a small coffee shop kinda bar which was opened 0-24 and placed in a busy crossroad next an even busier park surrounded by offices filled with thousands of different people. She had a little hobby figuring out which building and office did the different customers came from. It was easy after a month but sill entertained her so she never actually stopped it even when she promised to herself to be more normal.

Normality and blending into the crowd was one of her wishes. When she was young she had plenty of problems with her behavior and family background to realize being invisibly grey was a huge benefit.

So she changed into her incredibly average clothes and let out her long brown hair from the loose bun, got her absolutely average handbag and went home with her _average_ headache.

* * *

The audience in the museum murmured in a sleepy way and Nagisa had to bite down two huge yawns that threatened to escape. The funny thing was that he wasn't tired at all. He was hyper energized from the thrill of his next mission. The reality of people's unconcern amazed him beyond imagination and he had to force his body to act normal. He made a mental list check for the hundredth time since he arrived and moved to the next painting. With a casual move he looked at his watch and smiled. Showtime.

* * *

Karma smirked. His subordinates watched him from far with disgusted horror as most of them couldn't understand their boss' sadistic logic and black humor. It was only that, heavy black humor.

He would have laughed if the suffering whimpers and agony of the dying hadn't invaded his head spoiling the cabaret of life.

He wanted to visit the exhibition, Picasso was classic, it was an unwritten law to go and see it. Now he won't.

He waited until most of the victims were successfully saved and escorted to somewhere else then entered the ruins. What was he searching for?

* * *

Akari's favorite time was around midnight. It was the most quiet actually, with about no person at all, and those few who appeared were more than interesting, travelling around the city or the country, doing shady business or mopping around after a horrible date. Or who knows maybe she couldn't read people at all. But it was fun.

She noticed a new face, cool and collected with a handsome but barely visible smile hiding in the corner of his lips, mercury gold eyes twinkling with something more, something darker. He appeared randomly, drank the same coffee and left without tips.

First she thought he was a politician. Then he appeared more like the brain behind the politicians than the puppet smiling on TV. After the second of his visits she decided he was some kind of a horribly wealthy but sneaky businessman who liked to appear casual keeping his trillions and milliards somewhere safe. Then he shifted to a secret agent. And after the fifth time he came and left (no tips, thank you very much) she admitted with an amused smile she had absolutely no idea what this man was doing for a living.

* * *

Nagisa fall back to his bed. He thought he would smile like a maniac or laugh or enjoy himself after the last successful mission but apparently his mind had other problems.

Truth be told, he was shocked by his lack of joyful reaction. He had an aim, achieved it and…

Of course he still had more than two or three missions ahead of him, and others did their parts as well but… he couldn't help the feeling.

Or the lack of it.

So he decided to go and have something, a late diner, an early breakfast or just a well-deserved coffee or whatever he could get at this hour.

He left his flat not bothering to lock anything. His cover was more than perfect. His mask was flawless.

When the little shop showed up in his vision he had a faint lingering thought he shouldn't enter.

* * *

Karma finished the paperwork, laughing at the irony, (oh the irony, life is nothing more than black, pitch-black joke) and stretched his arms. Being the handicapped authority was laughable. He deserved a little rest, he thought to himself while ascended the stairs, going out to the park stuck between the huge skyscrapers.

He only realized two days before that he _did_ build up a habit kind of form with visiting the same coffee shop/bar whenever he was tired or genuinely upset with the government. This was definitely not why he had joined the army.

He was surprised to say the least when he discovered that the real reason behind his frequent visits had to do something with the waitress who could appear and disappear almost as hallucination, leaving a hollow promise of a greater secret behind her.

He gave her credits for this, the first person to surprise him more than once with the _same_ act. Somewhere between his tired and upset thoughts he had a faint desire to know her better, to ask her something, but she slipped away ever time. Well… the last time. That's why he noticed how easily she covered herself in the crowd, more importantly in an almost empty shop as well. She could simply disappear.

This time he was determined to watch her.

* * *

Akari sighed. Yes, she said she liked the midnights but being assigned to the night shift _and_ the afternoons for a week could weaken her enthusiasm. If only she could say that at least no problematic customers appeared.

Yet, she smirked to her mirror image, the possibility of sexual harassment were about 0, thanks to the fact she was the only waitress. Perks of a flat chest.

However nothing seemed to promise the lack of sociopaths among the costumers, she sighed again. Lately more and more appeared and the terrorist attacks were not helping it. When one idiot comes, all the others arise. Common truth, of course but hey… It _is_ a truth.

If anyone had asked her opinion about the terrorist she would answer with a confused face claiming she has no idea who in their right mind would do such a thing.

If she asked herself the question she would simply shrug as she couldn't imagine what kind of idiot would try to attract attention in this horrible way. Because it's all about attention and news and fame and being the only topic in public… She couldn't agree with this. Not this method.

* * *

Nagisa looked around in the building. About six persons were in his vision two waiter, four customers, but he was sure to have two more in the back, the manager or the cook and one more. And maybe someone was using the toilets. So that would make him the tenth person to be in this little place around midnight. What could he say, it appeared a rather busy place.

The customers expression was tired if not exhausted entirely, their clothes grey, uninteresting and worn out like their owner. The waiters, a boy and a girl, both around his age were even more average.

He sat down next to the windows, ordered a coffee, a small cookie and had the same tingling feeling he shouldn't do this.

The lack of positive, well-deserved satisfaction covered him like a coat, eventually making him miss how the waitress appeared and disappeared at his table.

Only when he was back at home and out of sheer boredom replayed the events of his uneventful night walk did he acknowledge that a simple waitress had sneaked up on him. This amazed him and he decided to return.

* * *

Akari couldn't decide if she was happy that the mystery man was back again and decided to chat with her. Or at least tried to. She answered with the most average type sentences and lies she could come up with at 01:32 after 6 hours of work and hoped he was done with his sudden curiosity.

The fact that someone was genuinely talkative towards her and was a handsome person, flattered her, yet she knew how life was never like a fairy tale (common grey girl meets handsome mysterious boy, the boy falls in live with her strange average being and style and they… live happily for about two months? Six at most.) plus she never wanted more acknowledgment than necessary. She had her reasons.

More, when she was finally back at her little flat staring at her reflection in the bathroom with a smug smile, in which fairy tale was a girl like her?

* * *

Nagisa went back the next morning but couldn't find the waitress. He went back in the evening as well, still nothing. The idea of asking around appeared childish and useless (unwanted attention).

He ordered the same and let himself relax a little (as much as a he could "relax" outside his hide out) enjoying the taste and the calm atmosphere in the shop.

Once finished with the drink he looked around a little more carefully, discovering the same young customer from the day before with wild red hair and gold eyes looking uniquely out of place. The young man was asking around from the waiter and Nagisa regretted to sit so far from him (not like he had any idea this would happen) as the redhead spoke in such a quite voice it appeared even the waiter couldn't hear properly. Whatever the question was the answer was negative and the man left shortly after. Nagisa followed him trying to figure out why he had the nagging in his brain he should know who that person was.

* * *

Karma was thrilled to figure out the waitress' secret, it appeared as a far easier task than to legally catch the terrorists.

Last night he tried to speak with her, asked if she was working every day, and when did she start, why did she become a waitress.

She answered with the most boring facts, she was in her last year of university, only working to pay her rent and her shift had nothing to do with her.

Her voice wasn't special, nor her way of speaking and he could imagine himself being fooled by her play.

Only… only after his failed attempt she disappeared without a trace. Or almost without one. Obviously she had to remain in the building but when he turned back to drink up the last two drops from his glass she was already gone, and he had no idea where to search with his eyes. Other tables? The kitchen? The changing rooms? Upstairs? Outside?

So he had won his little bet, she was hiding something. She was acting.

The question was only why?

* * *

Nagisa put down the phone, finished his notes and stretched out his numb body. His next mission will take place only two days after, he already finished his preparations it was like winning a little vacation.

The perfect opportunity to catch the waitress from the coffee shop.

* * *

Akari felt like her head will kill her.

Scratch that, it was common truth, a prophecy from Fate, unwritten and engraved future for her.

She could just feel how true it is. And the power of this.

So again she smiled at her reflection while tying up her apron and started her little mantra: "average girl with and average pain"

She should have taken those painkillers.

The night was casually falling down on the town when the usual faces appeared. The mystery man was back, she noted, and that blue haired one as well.

His face was cute, even according to their manager's taste, his figure creating the feeling of a caring but little awkward friend who can be a lovely dork at times.

The others said he was a dreamer, or an artist.

Akari saw his eyes and decided that _one idiot drags the army_...

After the strange talk with the mystery man she asked for a small break, reasoning with the horribly long week she had worked before. She lived quite close to the shop, and had no problem with the park neither so the following days kept an eye out for those two.

She was right. The bluebird was right back at morning, the red settled with the evenings.

The following days both came at night.

There goes the peaceful life of an average girl with an average pain, she hummed to herself as she walked towards the blue guy to take his orders.

" Hello, what can I get for you?"

" Hy, I would like a coffee and some biscuit."

" How would you like your coffee?"

" Two sugars and no milk, thank you."

" I'll bring it in a minute."

" Are you free after your shift?"

…

" To be honest, I have a thesis to work on for two days from now."

" Oh I see…" she was about to leave " And when you're finished with that?"

" I don't know yet."

He let her go with that and when he paid for his order, smiled and left a nice tip.

Akari decided that he was indeed cute. And an idiot.

* * *

Karma knew that when he finally could capture those terrorist, no government and higher ups can stop him.

He wouldn't call it revenge, only natural due payback. For destroying public properties. And killing hundreds. And playing with his nerves. And playing against him. And playing in this game…

Once again he was standing before a burning building, a school actually, waiting for time to due his job.

This time, contrary to the implications only two persons died.

Karma smirked again, oh the irony. _Only_ two.

One was a by-passer who walked too close to the school walls, the other one a homeless person hiding next to the bins.

Probably mistakes.

* * *

Nagisa was debating. He had a perfect disguise, no person on earth could tell he was sneaking into buildings leaving bombs in hallways in his freetime.

Yet.

If he did let his curiosity get the better of him… There was no guarantee for anything.

He laughed at himself.

What was he actually afraid of?

The girl discovering his secret hobby? Then what? She calls the police? He can easily shut her up in a bunch of ways. And none of them includes killing. Yet.

Or she has the greater secret, and while he tries to discover it she discovers his first?

Probably not.

She has a secret, it was a fact. A reason why she is so charming yet unnoticed. He couldn't believe it when she admitted he was the first to ask her out.

So what was the problem? Why was his mind alert?

* * *

Akari agreed on one date. And that one was about two weeks later Nagisa (he managed to introduce himself properly shortly after) asked her.

She told herself that no matter what happens, how sweet this boy-man (he was just as a man as the mystery redhead) acts, how flattered and fluttered she will be that will be all. One date.

She will bore the hell out of the guy, he will gave up and that's all. No fairy tale meeting.

As she grimaced at her reflection (average girl with an average pain) and listened to the radio and the breaking news (new terror attack, old school building, miraculously _only_ two victims) her smirk fall down as the pieces clicked into place.

The buildings were to point out places and stages, the color yellow was obvious enough and she could figure out that they actually had left one or more writings as well.

It clicked so quick, the information so much and grave, she almost fainted.

* * *

"Average girl with and average pain…"

* * *

Nagisa tried not to laugh at himself because he was nervous. For real.

He had a date with a stunning beauty (well hidden in grey common clothes) and oh boy he had missed this part of life.

Almost completely.

Of course he didn't join the "bad" side for fun like others, he had his story and reasons. And now being normal for once felt just too right, and horribly scary.

When she arrived finally (about 2 minutes late, but he was there before an hour than the actual meeting) in a normal pants and t-shirt with her hair casually up in a lazy bun he felt positively flustered. He was going on a date with this girl.

They had million missions where he had a partner for cover, both acting the whole stuff, he knew what to do. But doing in real, without a secret target, or anything more was completely new. With a completely normal girl, innocent and unaware of his real nature.

They settled down on a bench chatting about whatever came up their mind.

Thanks goodness his repetitive instincts were working. Half the times he had no idea what to say.

So he let his memories slip in and take control. Or just listened to her babbling. She had a warm voice.

* * *

Karma was about to kill someone. Strangle the first poor soul on his way to the office. Better, scare the living hell out of them. Not that they weren't jumpy already, or frustrated. The whole department was at their mind's end, not to mention how irritated and nervous was the whole situation. They had clues, tiny ones pointing at something no one heard about (at least their information base lacked anything useful) and the government threatened them with layoff to place the cherry on top of this sh*tful cake.

So when he entered his office room with the brightest smile one tiny insignificant part of him was grateful for his coworkers wit to hide themselves. Blood was the smaller problem to cover. And he was sure not to pay any psychiatrist not for himself and definitely not for their recovery.

He made a mental list of the 'clues' so far.

They attacked different buildings one museum, one school, one church, one shop and one old house that would have been demolished anyway. They left behind only one word "KoroS" and some yellow paint. The amount of people killed during one bombing differs without pattern.

And just a day before he received a small note informing him where will the next bombing take place.

This joke was going in a horrible way.

The note said that in two days time they would blow up a laboratory with or without the researchers, but every single professor and genius working on _that_ project will meet their end on that day.

It was left on his doorstep and he didn't bothered informing his boss, because if he asked what was the project's topic and aim or if he asked who are these people working there he already knew the declining answers.

All he would get were these lines he despised by heart: "Just do everything to prevent it. Now you even know where it will be, don't waste our precious time."

Once he will leave this position and start his own agenda for a little payback.

* * *

To say Akari was surprised was an understatement. Horrible one actually. She failed her only aim so badly it hurt her pride gravely, to the point she refused to leave her room for a day.

* * *

Nagisa panicked when the absolutely adorable, cute and super shy (that's how she acted, I mean which girl refuses a friendly possible date for about two weeks in a row when it's clear they like the idea?) from the coffee shop simply disappeared after their absolutely normal date.

Maybe panicked is a little harsh to describe his feelings. It was more like startled and confused. And no matter how hard he denied it thrilled his not so average taste a little. He never imagined himself as the hunter type but the way this girl (yes he didn't believed her name was Kayano) avoided anything that could lead to something personal information or friendly interaction – sincerely friendly and open interaction – awoke his unknown desire to capture her. In which way was still the mystery of tomorrow.

So he stayed in his small apartment and tried to think out something, got frustrated and eventually admitted defeat so called up one of his teammate for a little advice.

* * *

When she couldn't hide more and had to leave her home she looked at her mirror and gazed into the reflection.

" Just act as you should after… _this_. "

She grunted and let out a muffled scream. She screw it up. In the end he asked with the most innocence smile and face if they could repeat this again since he had so much fun. Or something similar. Her brain stopped working and she couldn't even act something out like a normal answer, just squirmed and bolted towards the closest dark alley to have a heart attack and then try to crawl home.

Luckily – if you can call it that – Nagisa seemed way too shocked to follow or try to stop her.

And now, she has to face this boy-man with the cutest face and the most dangerous questions.

And her head was killing her…

" How on earth do I act normal after this?!"

She should figure out a full-scale lie about herself. She already did. Okay that was only half a lie. Maybe that's why it didn't worked this time.

She introduced herself as Kaede Kayano, average girl at an average university minding her full average life with a quite busy time schedule and all…

Now she has to come up with a believable normal – like Absolute normal – reason for why did she ran away like a savage startled gazelle - and the answer that she indeed felt like one at that time and still, wasn't in option.

Maybe she had a sad family backstory that's why she can't spend more time…

Talking about _any_ family was strictly out of question. Even to herself.

She glared at her reflection. "Even you."

But time was ticking, she had to go. As she pulled her hair in a lazy bun the idea struck her: she was feeling ill. Some serious disease caught her and stuff..

She was happy with herself and started to hum her little mantra of the pain while leaving her apartment.

When the door clicked behind her she knew it was useless.

* * *

Karma would had more fun hacking into confidential files if time weren't eating his mind off. The constant ticking of the clock kept him from enjoying the evening. Eventually after two to four hours of hard work he decided to rest a little and visited the coffee shop. In the last days he almost gave up on the mysterious waitress, yet his guts told him that if someone has a clue to this nonsense then that is this girl. Or having a casual yet informative conversation with her will break his chaotic days and bring something new. For the better or the worse… how could anyone know?

He saw that for her act she even started a little blooming romance with a new, strange, young… man? He had to double think to decide its gender. So he let her play the average and tried his best to observe from far away. Which was close to impossible.

All he noticed were close to meaningless insignificant clues, like she was _always_ smiling, or she looked plain and quite non-attractive to everyone, minus the blue… thing. And sometimes it looked like she was exhausted… That was a wild guess, since he only saw it _once_ that the waitress stopped and let out a tired-like sigh, and then in a blink she was again running up and down between the tables. She probably hid her physical conditions as well.

It was calming and perfectly relaxing to observe her after a day full of paperwork and outrageous conversations between his boss and coworkers. When the blueprince appeared he couldn't help but smirk at his first failed attempts. It was like an Italian romantic comedy.

He didn't pay too much attention to the boy, he was just a tool, a décor on her stage.

He still had about one and half day to figure out a way to save some brainiac.

* * *

Nagisa tried his best to come up with the best reason as to why is he still inside the coffee shop or trying to find her. (Yes, she was that closed up, no number or address or whatsoever.) In the end he was aiming for the _honest_ way, telling her and the other workers that he wanted to talk with her. Again. And still. And…

He was about to chuckle to himself. He was nervous. Again!

Only this girl could find a way to make him positively uncomfortable and stubbornly determined in this crazy story. As he ordered his usual, and draw the conclusion that she's not working this day either his phone rang.

It was almost unexpected.

" Yes?"

" You didn't forget that tonight we have a final meeting, did you?"

" Of course not. There's still about three hours left until then. You wouldn't phone me just for this."

" Sharp and correct as usual. Where are you?"

" Minding my own business. Why?"

" I have some funny news to you."

" And it cannot wait till the meeting?"

" Yup. Should I go there or you don't want your _little_ personal life interrupted?"

He simply ended the call. As he raised his hand with the intention of paying, his eyes met with the man's from across. His mercury gold eyes buried into his azure ones and suddenly the familiar feeling that he ought to know this man was back.

* * *

Akari felt a mountain falling from her chest when the others told her that her cute blue knight was here but left already. She found this amusing to the point for about a minute she actually forgot about her pain.

As she stepped to the table to take up the next order and was met with familiar inquisitive mercury gold eyes the pain came back with tiny hint of annoyance.

" Long time no see." The smirking readhead greeted her.

" Blame is on the university." She smiled back with ease. At least he wasn't planning anything like Nagisa. He was just plain tiring with his stubborn questions.

" Where is your little prince?" he tilted his head resting it in his palm, blinking as a curious cat. Scarp that tiger at least.

" Oh, you mean Nagisa? Honestly don't know. Heard he left earlier." Time to play the average girl in timid love or something.

" Trouble in paradise?" he smirked again, eyes glinting with mocking playfulness.

" No, not at all… I don't even know what is between us so… " she looked away, avoiding his eyes, then took a deep breath. " So I guess the usual?"

He blinked fast, then smiled.

" The usual indeed."

She was happy to leave the table and his sight.

* * *

Nagisa sat into the van greeting the others.

Last meeting before _the_ show started.

* * *

Karma had one more day to figure out something.

Either he came up with a plan to collect all researcher and protect them then inform the higher ups that they were in danger thus let the laboratory burst into pieces or he reported the whole thing leaving it to his boss to solve the impossible.

As he had pride and reputation mostly towards himself the first option was more likely.

So he stared at all the information he could dig up through hacking and started planning.

* * *

As Akira entered her home she didn't cast a tired smirk towards her reflection, nor did she let out an exhausted sigh as she did everyday. She went straight to her bed and threw herself on it, hid her head under the pillows and bite into the mattress as she screamed. She didn't dare to scream at the top of her lung. That would definitely raise suspicion.

The pain was killing her.

Her mind slowly went blank as she felt the pain, _that_ pain taking over.

She lost control.

* * *

 _A.N._

 _Hello and welcome in this AU where Akari is a 'simple' waitress, Karma is some high ranked general in the country dealing with terrorist attacks and Nagisa is part of the terrorist group led by the second Shinigami trying to gain attention to a project.  
Yes it can remind you to _Terror in Resonance _since I simply love that anime and the story and stuff._

 _BUT! I'll do my best to come up with something interesting and I hope you will enjoy this little story as much as I do :) it's about half the story so far, but I don't have so much time nowadays so I can't promise anything._

 _Thank you for your attention, hope you liked it_

 _Have a nice day :)_


	2. The rythm of my life

_"People from the past, have a tendency to walk back into the present, and run over the future." - Anthony Liccione_

* * *

The day came and fulfilled its dreadful promise. The terrorists blew up the laboratory, though at the command of the general, it was almost empty, only the unmovable equipment remained. No casualty in that attack.

Then the hunt began. All the professors, researchers, assistants were warned about their position and danger, but even the general couldn't create a nuclear-proof basement to hide them. Their death finding them one by one like an invisible epidemic eventually got all of them… expect one.

The first assistant of the original principal professor of the project, since the old man died before the research ended, inherited all, that means all data and progress of the project, along with the results and further ideas. To sum up, this assistant had the essence of the project, therefore earned and gained higher, tighter and as it turned out actually effective protection from none other than the general himself.

When the sun's last lights painted the city buildings in blood-shaded gold _the_ show ended with a satisfying result.

Akari woke up because the ocean deep silence sounded suspicious for her. She somehow scraped herself up on her bed and blinked at her alarm clock. Somewhere two hours before sunrise her head decided to wake her up and she had to force her brain to function again. This wasn't right. She should be dead asleep from tiredness.

She was.

For two days in a row.

* * *

Nagisa hissed in irritation when they finally met after their long, long day. Even if their job was almost complete they couldn't eliminate the most important one. The grey mouse escaped.

Bonus headache point when he discovered the same mercury gold eyes at a place no normal human should be. That meant only one thing, and he cursed himself not paying more attention to his inner voice.

He missed the slight opportunity to finish with the assistant and the same redhead from the coffee shop, turned out general, proved himself to be quite the tough enemy on the field.

Now his pride was scattered, his head was aching, and they had to come up with a better plan.

* * *

Karma was furious. When his boss congratulated on saving the sorry *ss of the living data base, he couldn't hold his cool anymore and laughed in his face asking which family did his boss wished to inform about their loss because of belayed information and suffocating bureaucracy and told him that maybe mentioning that there was indeed one person from the whole team who actually survived without a scratch to the grieving families will absolutely cheer them up, as no man can refuse to join the joy of others. He managed to tell it with one breath and with leaving close to nothing personal space to his boss that he actually managed to horrify him.

That was tiny bit satisfying.

But the fact that the assistant whom he mentioned seemed mortified calmed his boiling head miles more.

Of course he was glad that at least one was saved, but the incompetence of his section angered him. At this single day about 30 renowned professor, scientist, researcher was slayed down as the grass on the field. Some along with his men some died under the careful eyes of his men and that was maddening.

He wanted to break something. Slowly from pieces to bits and to dust, burn it, crush, eliminate, erase from existence. Step to step with the most cautious perfection.

" Excuse me… When you said I cannot leave your side for the time being, exactly how long were you referring?"

The small voice started him and he turned towards the assistant with his sinister grin still on his face. The boss long left the room.

The assistant stood there, her hair in lazy braid laying on her left shoulder, lavender eyes looking at him from behind thin glasses without a flinch.

" Dear Miss… "

" Okuda." She helped him out calmly.

" Miss Important assistant. Please inform me if you failed to get the meaning of this day and the graveness of the events that are behind us."

" If you're referring to the fact that all my coworkers are dead because your security couldn't keep them safe, I'm completely aware the meaning of this. I was merely asking when can I leave."

" Miss, you have a death wish?"

" Hardly."

" Then until the last of them is either dead or in an interrogation room, you are to put it kindly stuck with me."

" I have work to do."

" So do I. And from the two of us, life proved mine to be more important."

The young woman was about to say something but Karma was a little to irritated to listen to a meaningless argument, so he simply covered her mouth with his hand, and continued. " As I consider myself a gentleman, I'll be glad to continue this conversation in another time, but for now I strongly recommend to cooperate. In some minute my assistant will inform you about your immediate future."

With this he left the room, to fill out some report but more importantly replay the actual events in his head and find the answer to that tingling question in his head that there was indeed a huge clue in his memory.

* * *

Her workmates asked if she was alright, suggested to see a doctor, offered help, lectured her about self care and healthy lifestyle and so on. When she could finally escape from their suffocating friendliness and entered the main room to take up the first order, she forgot about the troublesome men in her recent past: the handsome redhead, and the cute blue boy. For a moment she panicked but with a quick glance reassured herself with a slight surprise: none of them were in the shop.

* * *

Nagisa consulted with the others. Their new plans were cautious, well planned but all had to wait. They had an original pattern to follow. In between two emergency meeting they still prepared for their next move, hoping that this whole thing was just a little delay.

* * *

When Karma thought nothing can be more tiring than negotiating with his boss to give him a free-er hand in the question, this assistant proved him so wrong he had to give credit for his boss cooperative trait.

Okuda turned out to be quite the asocial quiet but stubborn type who took professional secrets way to strict.

It took him three days to convince her that keeping the secret about the project was meaningless, and one more to get her to accept the fact that she had to live with him to be under strict protection. Order may vary.

But he had to give her credit, as she wasn't bothering him at all. He could work perfectly fine, only stopping to check if she was still there, the silent she was.

He was considering giving her some collar or bracelet with tiny bells, so he will hear if she moves. Funny thing, her silent almost sneaky way of walking didn't surprise him. Not as it did with the waitress.

When the assistant finally agreed to tell him a little bit more, so he can help, he wasn't surprised by the revealed information. All hail hacking the system.

When he told her this, she looked a little upset, as if he was rude and didn't appreciated her willingness to break a rule (that nobody else used)

His other problem was he finally connected his memory to the terrorist he came across in action. He couldn't be sure since the attackers were covered in black, and did everything to cover their face. But the way it moved and the atmosphere it had… reminded him of someone he knew, or met before. After day long searching in his memories he ended up with the coffee shop but couldn't decide which one was it. After arguing (fighting) with the assistant and his boss and the media, the last weeks became blurrier, some unimportant fact fading out entirely. He knew that if he visited the coffee shop, the answer will be there… probably.

* * *

Days turned to weeks and Akari was pleased to see that both mystery-man gave up on the shop. Of course her workmates wouldn't shut up about her declining romance story, but she couldn't be mad at them when she got rid of their annoying presence. That may be harsh, but she was better safe than sorry.

But her average pain was still there and she knew that now that she _knew_ , hiding and doing nothing was impossible.

When she arrived back at her apartment and stopped to talk with her reflection, clearing out her thoughts, arranging everything so she could predict the future, it only took about two minutes. And her head was killing her.

The when and where was too easy, even for her. The only question remaining in her mind was what to do.

She couldn't ignore it.

She couldn't stop it.

She wouldn't let it.

This raised ten million more question. How to do it, how to cover, what to do actually, escape plan, cover story and so on.

* * *

Nagisa let out a tired sigh and rested his back in his chair. All preparations were done and the following day their original plan will continue as usual. He was tired. All their efforts to correct the little mistake were fruitless as the assistant's security was diamond-like with the leading of the general. They tried. In the last weeks about six times they failed.

Therefore the group decided to give them more space, a false feeling of security and wait until the other gets tired or irrationally terrified, which ever fits them.

Now he had nothing to do but sleep.

And sleep he did. Surprising himself how exhausted he was.

* * *

The lovely Sunday turned into a horrible macabre in the port of the city.

* * *

Karma knew this suspicious silence and uneventful week was leading to hell. At least he could get actual information from the assistant.

That turned out useless when the terrorists blow up the cruiser which was supposed to set sail as a sign of peace between their state and one which they fought for decades.

To say he could have killed the assistant was… close to the truth. Anyway he knew his job and wouldn't do something stupid as this.

When he arrived at the scene he was stunned.

* * *

Nagisa woke up with a heavy heart, feeling as if he forgot something.

This time he spent actual hours standing in front of his mirror trying to figure out what is bothering him.

He couldn't.

When he met up with the others to start their next stunt everyone was optimist and sure at least the original plan is foolproof.

Arriving at the port to take plan into action, sneaking onto the ship they were met with a lone figure of a young woman standing patiently next to the engines a huge red scarf covering half her face and a stunning black dress adoring her body just the right way, hair long scattered on her back, hands holding something they couldn't figure out because the next moment the engines blew up.

At least every one of them was trained to the point to survive.

The cruiser burnt as a pyre on the water a sign for them: they should be more cautious.

They could hardly get some fresh air when something attacked them. First the man next to Nagisa fall on his knees and collapsed eyes turned white, then the woman behind him shrieked. The rest were guarded in an instant but even that was too late. This something finished them one after the other until they decided it was better to run.

When they decided to leave the place and the burning cruiser Nagisa took one look back seeing the same woman with red scarf and black dress standing among the gathering crowd.

The tingling was back: he should know her.

* * *

Karma tried to comprehend the scene before his eyes. The cruiser burnt like a joyful little bonfire lighting the place with orange, red and yellow, terrified civilians and curious by-passers talking about possibilities, taking pictures with their phones, confused paramedics trying to help those 6 unidentified person laying on the ground. Their clothes were normal, nothing suspicious and the general was almost convinced they were mere failed attempt on behalf of the terrorist, weren't it for their position, the way their body was twisted out like they were in a fight. Why would any ordinary civilian get into a fight this serious?

He was about to question one of them which appeared to come around when the paramedics told him that this was indeed question of life and death and it would be very much appreciated if he let them work for f*ck sake. As Karma was a reasonable gentlemen he informed the paramedics that under no circumstances would he want to sabotage their work but once one of these little sorry pigs regain consciousness he will be the first to ask them out. With thus mutual friendliness they both parties left the scene.

* * *

Akari slowly closed the door behind her back sinking down to the floor, letting out a deep sigh. No matter how hard she tried to come up with a full plan thinking out and through everything in the end she just did what her instinct told, ending up doing almost the same as they, proving nothing. She was just like them, an aggressive, incomplete version, something that only sees salvation and solution in brutal force.

Slowly gathering herself up from the floor and dragging herself to the bathroom rising her head to meet her reflection's eyes half way.

" So what does it feel like? Destroying everything?"

" I didn't kill them."

" You blow up a ship. A cruiser to top it." Her reflection smirked like a cat.

" Nobody was on the ship."

" That's what you think… you may never know about those sorry fellows who thought it was a good joke to hide in the cargo."

" There wasn't _anybody_. I checked it twice. "

" Whatever. Now you're the same as them… don't forget this." The reflection purred. She almost crushed it with her fist. Next time she will do better.

* * *

According to his assistants and anyone who worked with him long enough, Karma sitting calmly in his chair and smiling innocently to his phone while playing blickblock was the first sign of the upcoming ragnarok. Answering with the world's most friendly face to any question was the last step to the end of the world so when his newly found shadow (the assistant he was supposed to protect from the terrorist) went up to him to point out the obvious everyone was running for their life.

Actually Karma was so taken aback from the assistant's bluntness he forgot to tear down her head or terrorize her mind.

" You know waiting for the paramedics call while doing actually nothing won't make time fly faster."

" Are you suggesting that I'm not working hard enough?"

" Halfly. Other than that, I think you should rest a little." He only arched one eyebrow. " I mean, you were on your guard for about two weeks in a row, you must be exhausted. It looks like the terrorist also have a little relax time nowadays so-"

Karma's curious eyes turned to stone cold with the piercing edge of a diamond.

" Relax time you say… Do tell me, what do you think who blew up that ship today?"

" I guess the terrorist but as you suspect them to be currently injured and in the hospital doubt may arise."

The assistant responded with a deadpan face and Karma couldn't argue. He was indeed tired a little.

" If you're afraid that I may be playing to the hands of the terrorist and escape you can handcuff me to yourself to ease your mind."

Karma laughed. Wholeheartedly.

* * *

Akari decided it was time for her to act with all her power. Actually, unless the blue haired cutie comes and search for her she won't have to do anything. But she had a slight guess fate just… doesn't like her type.

So she was guarded. Of course she had rose suspicion around her with acting all stupid and startled, but after years of peaceful suffering and dealing with her average headache no one can judge her about that mistake. About the cruiser… She will figure out something as soon as she's finished with her shift.

When she entered the main room with her usual cheerful smile she gave herself an award for acting normal despite the redhead handsome sitting there with his usual smirk-smile resting his hand on the table, a calm lady sitting right across him her fragile hands also on the table and a full random handcuff keeping them together.

Actually she wasn't surprised at all. Faking it was the harder part. In her head this mystery readhead was perfectly normal with or without handcuffed to a woman his age, she could believe anything about him why not this one?

When he saw her there was something in his eyes she definitely did not like. Was it recognition or sick amusement? Either way she smelled trouble.

As he gestured towards her specifically she couldn't escape. She went up to them with a slight frown and a fake-fake smile (did it make up a real one then she wondered) and asked with false insecurity.

" What can I bring you?"

" Aw, no hello, how are you, long time no see?" the man smirked and she was getting annoyed. Her head wasn't helping.

" I wasn't aware we are this close terms… I'm sorry then."

" It's okay, as you can see this day is a special one." He grimaced showing his full teeth and gesturing towards his hand.

" A… date?"

" Hm… Should it be?" he turned towards his companion the first time with a face that screamed trouble and Akari did as well for the first time. She had to force her eyes to remain as they were, and her mouth to shut up as usual. This woman turned out to be way too familiar to her comfort zone.

" Technically speaking as we are neither close friends nor relatives, the situation we are in can be seen as a date." The woman spoke up with a small smile of her own.

" Miss Important Data-san. I asked if it should turn out as one, not if it can be seen as one."

" I would prefer to keep to our original positions." She answered with a deadpan voice.

" Afraid you couldn't resist my charms?"

" As far as I know, personal feelings can make a bodyguards job hell."

" Exactly. So I would like the usual and the Miss here would like some bitter coffee with sour cake to match her sweet personality." He winked at Akari who know didn't have to pretend her uncomfortable smile. She quickly bowed her head and left.

Just when she thought she was prepared for the end and back…

* * *

Nagisa sat in silence while the others ran up and down the basement. Their secret hideout looked like a dragon danced through it. Everything was upside down, no one knowing what to do how to proceed.

In the end their leader declared total retreat for the time being, commanding everyone to hide under their normal civil self.

When he arrived back to his flat and took a long deserved hot bath an old memory came back leaving him wondering how could he forget. In this normal life of his he had a promising girlfriend. And now that he had to act as unnoticeable as possible finally acting his age and get someone as everyone around him (mostly bored old man and gossiping elders) suggested years ago.

Lucky for him the shop where he can find her was still open so he decided to run for it.

* * *

Karma watched close as the assistant slowly drank her coffee something clearly running around her pretty little head.

" Anything pressing your heart?"

" That girl… I have a feeling I should know her…"

" Shall we wait a little more then?"

" You're not tiring yourself with this do you?"

" Life and work never stops for me, but I reassure you once I found this situation annoying or useless I will be the first to leave this shop." He grinned.

* * *

Nagisa stopped dead in his step as he saw the same mercury gold eyes below those familiar red locks of the general. He should have know it.

Taking a deep breath he took up his usual attitude of the strange yet average guy and entered searching for the waitress with the lovely messy bun as usual.

To think about it he never saw her hair down.

* * *

Akari asked for a short break claiming she was sick and had to have some minutes for herself.

Breathing in and out did nothing to ease her building panic. She was sure if that woman sees her one more time she will get the picture and then the mystery man….

Speaking of the redhead now that she thought about it this was logical. He was with the legal forces.

She was about to spit in frustration and disgust.

That woman and the legal men together were trouble if not a disaster.

Her head was killing her.

That blue guy was back.

This was horrible.

She had no idea how to escape. No way out and what waited for her was worse than death.

Everything she worked for the last years (three… at least five if not more) will scatter to ashes right before her eyes as soon as she steps out.

She wasn't attempting to run from her life. Just to live at its fullest the average life she would never get, to live for all of them. She enjoyed her average days one after the other, never thinking too deep, avoiding the problem, her cross called: family.

Her workmate knocked on the door.

Doom was waiting for her.

* * *

Karma watched bemused as his current partner the assistant casted sly glances towards the door where the waitress disappeared.

He could feel something come up, something that will be either amusing or fateful maybe both.

* * *

 _A.N.  
_

 _Thank you for your lovely reviews  
Ale I hope I could write it quick enough and it's still as good as you think it is :)  
_ _xvmidnightstories I guess you can find enough Karmanami for your taste :)  
_ _Colorslander once again I thank you very much for your review, you lift up my heart :)  
_

 _Turns out this story will have one more chapter at least but we are getting closer where I wanted to go originally... Most probably the next update will be quite far in the future as I should pay more attention to my exams but until then  
I hope you enjoy this story,  
leave anything if you feel like talking  
and most importantly have a wonderful day :)_


	3. You could put some joy upon my face

_"Sometimes there a hundred lies behind a smile and not a single truth behind a tear."- Saahil Prem_

* * *

Nagisa entered the shop with the most nonchalant act he could muster and saw the general and the grey mouse eagerly gazing at a door leading to the back of the shop, only for employees. Suddenly the general asking around about the same waitress popped into his mind and he felt an urge to double kill him. And his partner.

As he mused over the thought of eliminating the failed target and the general at the same time he saw the door open and the waitress come out with two trays, face shadowed by her hair and the poor night-time lamps. He could only recognize her because he memorized her figure, should he cross path with her outside the shop.

Was it an impulse or revelation he quickly stumbled up to her, stopping her with an awkward and shy attempt to grab her hands mutter something.

" I'dliketotalk to… you. " at the last word he looked at her face mentally congratulating. She looked like a deer in the headlights, more like the crossfire. Her eyes were huge, genuinely scared, actually it was the first time he saw something in them and believed it. Her lips partly apart and trembling slightly as she tried to say something but either forgot or couldn't.

When he thought about how this girl awoke the hunter in him right now this very same hunter decided to keep this tiny, innocent creature alive and protect her from anything possible. She looked like a mere look casted from the wrong person the wrong way could kill her – in the ugly way.

So he took her hands in the most idiot way possible, causing her to almost drop the two trays she had and started to lead the way out of the shop. After two faltering steps she managed to place the trays down to some table and toddler behind him.

When they were out of the shop and two blocks away he stopped and turned around. He didn't need to act his nervousness – not around her, never around her – as he sheepishly let go of her hands and tried to come up with something to say.

* * *

The least she could do was to hide her face till the end, then disappear as fast as she could. Not that it was a possible scenario. She stepped out and blindly went to face her end when a hand grasped her from thin air scaring the living hell out of her. Blueboy mumbled something under his breath then looked in her eyes. She couldn't care less about how she looked she just wanted to disappear.

She didn't deserve this.

Fate, karma or whatever was in charge of this clearly hated her guts.

Even if the cute little terrorist didn't pieced two and two together.

Even if the assistant couldn't see her face from this angle.

Even if the general was more curious about the boy and the actual happening.

Even if this whole scene was like some sh*ty romance for her coworkers.

Dropping her in this situation just because she blow up some rattletrap which was destined to sink eventually, was a low blow from whatever was in charge of her luck.

She wanted to… Collapsing and screaming her heart out was clearly not her style. Laughing like a maniac was again too much effort for nothing. Crying was just… she couldn't… Run.

Sweet, sweet running, bolting like a coward, a nobody, a powerless little brat she was.

The next thing she knew Terror Cutie aimed the doors and she almost tripped on her own feet landing two hot choco on either herself or an eager spectator. She saved the trays with her last breath and let Fate catch up with her.

She did blow up a ship. And stole that thing. And never told about it in time.

She deserved it.

She followed blindly, like a hollow lifeless live size doll.

" Look, I… I just wanted to… You look horrible- I mean you look great as always just- so what I… You- are not okay, I guess." The quite panicking voice wasn't enough to drag her off her state.

She was officially giving up.

To hell with all of this, she just wanted everything to end.

" So… I'm sorry I dragged you out of your shift I will talk with the manager about this and take responsibility, I just really wanted to… talk."

"…about?"

It was a miracle her brain find some hidden part of it working and the autopilot decided to chit chat with the Blue prince. After all he did save her as a prince would. IF it counts as a save, taking he has no idea what she did.

" Stuff… I don't know it was just a wish. " he looked around avoiding her dull gaze. Actually she wasn't even looking his way, she just stared off to some streetlamp across them. She found blinking a bit too hard at the moment. " Look, I don't want to rush anything but if it's okay with you maybe we could… sit down in my place and sort this out. Or in the park" he panicked realizing what he had said and blushing like any normal human would.

Wasn't this just a wonderful example that even terrorist were human?

Now she would have laughed, could he do it. She tried to shrug her shoulders but it came out as a shiver, quite strong and long.

" Sh*t, of course I forgot the jacket." He mumbled then looked at her with an eager face. " I wouldn't really like you catching cold because of me so I strongly… mild strongly suggest to crash my place and warm up." He let out a weak chuckle and she nodded.

They started to move again and she tried to build herself up. Again.

" I'm sorry… " she started way too weak for her liking.

" Wha-? No, I should be apologizing, it was my strange-"

" For not responding normally…" she tried again, yet her throat decided it was high time to show she didn't really do any good job upon keeping herself safe.

" It's okay… I mean it was one hell of a strange request… Or whatever it was."

* * *

Karma watched suspiciously this sweet young drama before him. His partner for the night seemed to be focused on the girl, but he couldn't shake off the feeling, he should pay more attention to the boy. Something was behind this way too strange scene which was actually cute as both tiny human seemed to have no idea what to do and gosh did utterly hapless people make a funny look yet here was that feeling he let the real thing slip across his fingers… again?

When they left the shop, to the other waitresses' glee and joyful whispering he turned back to his table partner.

" They say if one's frowns too much their face remains like that."

" No wonder they said it to you." The assistant shot back without a flinch.

" Eager to chase the liliputians?" he mused.

" That would be suspicious."

" And fun."

" You shouldn't push your limits."

" Aren't you the concerned type? I'm touched."

" Wouldn't do me good if you collapsed before getting off this handcuff."

" Yeah, yeah Miss Info-san what do you suggest we do then?"

" Maybe go get some sleep." She suppressed a yawn and he felt his eyes ticking.

" And if I say I have a hunch that could lead us to the terrorist?"

" You'll have to leave it to tomorrow and go without me. Right now I'd be more than deadweight."

" Trust me, I can assure you will be _just_ deadweight if that's your only wish."

" Seems like you still don't get the main point of taking a rest."

" Devil never sleeps."

" But humans do. And those terrorist are human after all."

" Fine" he grumbled close to snapping. " If I should return you to the apartment and free your wrist will you be happy."

" It means nothing if you go chasing down some sorry university students in their blooming romance." She yawned again. He wanted to strangle this woman.

" Why again?"

" Because we only came to this shop so you would get a little break and then rest properly. "

" Since when?"

" Since your job is to keep me safe so I can do my job."

" Your entire project was eliminated what more job do you have?" he smirked deadly but the woman didn't even bat an eye.

" As you have no idea about the project I'd prefer you don't order me what to do."

" Sweet, because I was just about to say the same."

" However-" she raised her voice just a little" should you exhaust yourself with these uncalled missions I will be in danger. You will not be able to fulfill your task with 100%"

Karma snarled and tugged his arm towards himself with a quick forceful and swift move, dragging the woman across the table. She seemed unfazed.

" Just because you had one reason now doesn't mean you can always talk your way through me." He whispered, not even caring if she heard it or not.

* * *

Nagisa had no idea what he was doing. He showed his small apartment to the waitress offering her to get comfortable on the couch while he prepared something warm to drink. They didn't speak too much and the walk was short yet he was amused to find himself somewhat collected and calm facing his biggest improvisation.

He stood next to the couch with two steaming cups holding one towards the girl.

" It's just simple tea, I hope it helps." He smiled his best reassuring smile at her. She accepted the mug holding onto it, gazing at the steam.

" So.. Let's start clear… My name is Shiota Nagisa and I'd rather you told me your real name this time."

Akari was too tired to stiffen or panic at this point. So the cuteface saw through her. But she wasn't to tell her real name anyway. That goes down with her to the grave if it's her last and only promise she fulfills. She took a long sip from the tea and let out a long sigh.

" I'm sorry I lied about it…"

" It's okay I guess you had your reason." He smiled. Well she couldn't blame him, it was rather hard to believe he told her his real name. But she wasn't planning on a long run friendship neither a short one anything he tried. Then why should she feel anything about being lied to.

" My name is Mase Haruna, it's nice to know you." She smiled and hoped it was good enough to have his observant eyes off her. Weak attempt in his apartment.

" You looked quite troubled back there… I understand if you don't want me to help but maybe just speaking it out will ease…that."

" It was just a long and exhausting day."

" So no one was after you, you weren't in danger?" he laughed sheepishly. She forced herself, senses alert again to fake confusion and curiosity.

" No, why would I?"

" Don't know, you just looked like something was about to kill you. My bad, they say I have a pretty dark imagination."

" Well if you count tiredness and stress in, you were quite close to the truth." She smiled to him and he rubbed his neck.

" So… the other one I wanted to ask if it's okay with you… " she nodded him to continue. " Last time we met and parted you were… quite quick to leave."

" Oh yeah… " she laughed in half-fake embarrassment . " You see it was… I forgot I had a meeting with some university guys that night and they can be pretty mean about forgetting stuff, especially if it was your idea to begin with… I'm terribly sorry it was rude of me."

She couldn't help it. It was a ridiculously dangerous choice made by pure impulse but she would use this Blue cutie to get more information if she want's to be any different than the terrorist. She just had to act a little. Not much really, the boy was too charming for his own good, but she had experience back her up.

" Oh, no, I'm sorry it was rude of me to pry." He laughed again. " So, any better?"

" Yup, thank you."

" So… do you want to watch a movie?"

" I don't think there's any cinema opened at this hour…"

* * *

Anyone asked the young handsome fearful general at that moment sulked as he entered his own apartment next to Okuda. It was a rare sight to see, the porter didn't believed his own eyes.

Karma was beyond pissed. He knew they made a mistake the second those petits left the shop. Now he had no idea how to find them. Their little romance bloomed right before everyone eyes (spar his. He felt at least on of them was cheating, but he couldn't decided which) and he would be the indecent moron trying to prevent one more attack. All hail the system.

At least he could bargain the informant to tell a little bit more as the last time they couldn't finish it properly.

So here he sat, sprawled out on his couch shirt unbuttoned his head in his palm as he sweetly glared at the woman across him sitting neatly on the sofa eyes indifferent.

" Could you then please fill me in?"

" There are data's I cannot tell you and not because it's confidential rather I highly doubt you will know what they mean."

" Then tell me in a language both of us speak."

" I don't find that correct towards the information. Marginalizing won't change the graveness of this situation. "

" Right now, Miss Info-"

" Okuda."

" The task prior to everything is to understand the pattern, if there is one, the terrorist follow. After attacking a research lab no government can tell me it had nothing to do with the project running in it. As I know it was confidential because of aggressive usage and warfare I understand the protection but find it unnecessary, almost ridiculous."

" Would you call a state's attempt to keep one highly unstable probably nuclear if greater dangerous weaponry away from unwanted attention?"

Now they were talking. He could sense the little grey assistant felt this one as a low bow and personal. After all she knew everything she could see the real danger.

" Of course not, but I do not agree that the same state does not trusts its own general with the essential information in a situation like this. It's not like the terrorist's aim was to stop the project as I learned it stopped years ago with one… crushing failure." He smirked as the assistant's usually passive almost dumb eyes sparked with hurt pride. " If that was their aim we couldn't have done anything in the end. However. It was clear from the events that this action was only one piece of a way larger picture. I can get the pieces by myself the hard way or the easy way which would buy us time and advantage which I find crucial in this matter."

" Wonderful line of reason."

" Yet… "

" Yet I made an oath to serve only truth. I don't like breaking an oath."

Karma felt his patience wear thin. He seriously considered torturing the woman.

" Miss Okuda sadly I had already asked it but did you fail to understand the situation this state got?" his voice was dangerously sweet. Anyone in their right mind would run.

" I do understand my life is in danger. Yet my work is not over…

Karma had it. It was his own apartment, meaning no one not even his boss or the prime minister had any f*cking right to judge him. Should they try he give back his title, grabbed popcorn and coke to watch them fail. Miserably. Ungracefully.

With one leap he was grabbing the woman's shoulders in a grip once shattered a glass his maniac smirk barely away from her ears as he whispered in a low, nerve wrecking voice.

" Listen here you dog. I have to know what was this shameless project was about from point to point, all the little details and I don't care if this will deprive your flawless reputation, and I don't care if I have to use unethical methods but I need the data's. _now_."

The woman shivered, he had used a cheap trick, but when she looked in his eyes hers sparkled.

" It is my life. If it's meant to go down with me to the grave, it will. Without upper instruction I cannot tell you more then I already did." He smiled and tried to break her shoulders on purpose.

" And what do you think those are enough for? Hm? To give my mind peace? That I couldn't do more no matter how hard I tired? Hm? People _die_ , never wake up, they are buried in the ground _if_ they are lucky enough. And not because their time is over. Because this experiment pissed off some sociopath and his minions and now they are doing justice. And I know honor and loyalty sounds sweet as angelic relics, they are considered as virtues but right now nobody gives an f about your heroic deeds. You're doing this for nothing. And you know it, just as well as I do. Your higher-ups tries to keep their name clean of any failure. If you're defending them, shielding up the truth you sworn your life on. What's the matter, hit a soft spot?"

* * *

Nagisa couldn't decide if he was pushing his luck with inviting Haruna to join him for a movie marathon right after he practically crushed into her life. Of course it was not as she was a complete stranger but he was raised better than this. He just… improvised.

As for right now he watched the movie with just as much attention as the girl sitting an arm away from him on the same couch. They were comfortable, munching on popcorn and tacos. He saw her take longer and longer blinks.

" I should walk you home." He looked at her fully. Haruna looked thoughtful for a second then nodded.

" I would really appreciate that, it's nice of you."

He got his jacket and plus one for Haruna, it was such nicer to know her real name this time. The trip to her apartment which was surprisingly close, was nice and filled with friendly chat. He agreed to talk with her tomorrow in the park then wished a good night and left.

When he was back did the thoughts emerge from his mind. From the more practical skeptical one he had.

Why was he certain this was her real name. Why would she have to use a fake one?

Soon these dark thoughts left his mind and he decided to trust Haruna as best as he can – which to be honest was way beyond minimal and healthy. Whatever, he needed to live the most normal life until the other's called it was action. He could as well enjoy it at the same time.

* * *

 _A. N. Thank you for reading sorry for the crappy style and if it's hectic or stuff I'll try better next time but just to reassure you I know where this is going.  
And that's a rare one.  
_

 _Anyway leave a comment or review anything you would like and  
Have a wonderful day :) _


	4. Sunshine in an empty place

"You could pretend at anytime,  
but please not when laughing." - Toba Beta, Master of Stupidity

* * *

Akari slowly closed the door behind her when she was sure Terror Cutie was out of sigh. Well looks like her luck choose the darkest pits of hell for her instead of death. Seemed legit. She had no idea if she could fool the guy enough this time.

However she escaped Miss Secretary of the whole problem and that was one thing alone worth celebrating. That woman sure as hell would recognize her, she never changed that much. She would handle that later. Somehow.

Way too much problem to handle right now.

She faced her mirror.

She needed a plan. Quick and the best.

She had no intention to harm anyone.

She had no intention to let anyone know about her.

But Red Handsome seemed to protect that woman so where he is, the secretary is.

She was about to date a terrorist for the mere information she can get out of him.

And she still had university and work to do.

Although she could quit her job whenever she feels like it. And find something else. Yet it would require _just_ more energy than she had apparently.

She wanted to end this grotesque story.

She wanted no one to know about this.

She was certain the terrorist had no actual idea just what this whole thing was.

How could they know what it meant? How did it feel.

She lost her sister and her would-have-turned-out-to-be-brother-in-law. She lost them and she was certain as the Himalaya their story had nothing to do with the terrorist, actually those morons just ruined everything. Their way was not a usable method.

She gave up revenge because it means violence. That's out of question ( _was,_ she thought bitterly and resisted the temptation to crush her mirror).

She gave up grudge because it was meaningless. Whom could she hold it against? She could sulk all her life it meant and _did_ _nothing_. Blaming and cursing didn't reversed time.

She just wanted to go back to her silent grieving, lone and peaceful life.

* * *

After a hot, calming bath, half day deep sleep and the greatest breakfast ever Karma felt that it had worth it. The assistant gave up her strict attitude and started to talk. The cherry on top for his amusement was how she claimed not to be intimidated by his acts. He saw her trembling and taking way too deep breaths. He felt complete and normal once again.

Okuda started to sing a very interesting song about a project which aim was to create the perfect soldier that could avoid all that came at it, heal itself, carry out orders without any glitch and still be a human to have one and only weak spot that can be used against it by its creators, would the need come. He already knew it but now that she told the side effects, problems and solutions they had the promising story turned out to be a masterpiece.

The subject about halfway through the project fell in love with the principal professor and the feeling turned out to be mutual. This in itself was no danger or what so ever. At least he was more eager to help. Or seemed to.

Most of the researching professors found the subject problematic and uncooperative even after his personal change. He was a sentenced criminal, one hell of a problem.

Okuda depicted a young and dangerous man with hellish looks, terribly quick brain and sickening personality. He was sentenced to this project as the secret court that decided not to waste his _talents_ , and of course there was always some personal revenge…

The most interesting part of the story was however there were signs of malfunctioning from the very beginning. No matter how they calculated their predictions were off trait two times out of three. Small deformations showed on the soldier. His limbs but most frequently his fingers became a mass of unidentified substance, which could do literally anything, _yet_ the predicted acts. Soon the professors concluded that the _thing_ was just as uncooperative as the test subject himself.

However they could see that this thing was also painful. And possessed greater power and force than anything else on earth.

Quickly the project shifted to understand these deformations and trying to use them. It was even more impossible than the original plan considering how ungrateful the test subject was.

After about 25 month of concentrated research and never ending experiments the soldier committed suicide. Two days after the principal professor followed him.

A true masterpiece: drama, romance, tragedy!

* * *

Nagisa was a tad bit afraid of this. He could lost himself in this normal life too quickly but the nagging at the back of his head was still there about his group, their aim and all…

Yet here he was going on a solid second date with Haruna, everything so quiet and normal and… nice. He wouldn't mind living this for real.

Haruna told him that she tried acting at a young age and kept this silly habit to introduce herself with the name of the character she had to play, sometimes when she was in a playful mood. But she wasn't that talented so probably no one gets the joke and puff: misunderstanding.

Nagisa's disguise as a strange hipster-kind-of-university-student became complete with Haruna. He wasn't sure if she was also a hipster-like from the beginning or changed her style along the way but he was happy. And did not dare to think about why.

" Would you mind showing me some old record or movie you played in?" he asked casually – as if he could be casual around her. – sitting across her in a different coffee shop waiting for their order. She became genuinely frustrated and blushed slightly.

" I don't think they worth it… Really."

" But I'm curious."

" Trust me they are horrible." When she saw his smile drop she quickly added " Bu-but maybe later…"

" Later like?"

" I don't know… "

He hoped so strongly she would say something like ' a year' or '6 month'. If he thought about it for a second his best options were to finish their original plan in two months. They were almost at the end, yet Fate decided against them.

Once they finished he is forced to leave. Just like everyone else.

" When we are more familiar with each other…" her voice was insecure and he blushed instead of her, neither looking at the other.

He knew this would happen. He just hoped against the odds they will finish quick enough for him to avoid getting a fake girlfriend. He just _knew_ Fate would choose a real cutie for him. Just for fun.

* * *

Finally one witness/victim regained consciousness. Karma instantly ran to the hospital, his grey shadow closely behind him and would have started the interrogation…

His eyes twitched in annoyance and upon seeing his sweet, sweet smile the nurse broke down in tears and ran away.

" Would someone please enlighten me why is this room empty?"

* * *

Akari silently blessed life for her acting skill and wondered where did it come from. Maybe older relatives like great-great-grand generations… or who knows. She blessed it and willed herself not to curse in her head because Nagisa's disguise was perfect. He acted as any other university guy: he blushed, he panicked, he had problems talking and coming up with normal sentences and he looked utterly hapless like a normal person _in love._

And she knew when was someone acting it.

And she felt that both of them are just fooling around with some backhanded cause.

She knew how other's lie, she remembered all those acts in the movies.

She couldn't be misled by random and way too strange and horribly lame topics, she recognized her own acting style.

That was where the blue terror cutie – apart from her knowing already about his late night hobby – crushed his own chances.

He was half pretending this, aiming for something. And that pulled her angry strings a little more than necessary.

* * *

After half an hour "consoling about anger" and twelve minute of convincing Karma finally sat across the first witness that regained consciousness.

The nurse told him that the strange circumstances caused the young woman to have a petty problem, nothing important, only forgetting who she was and all…

Only problem was Karma knew fully well when someone was truly gone, or just pretending it to escape some unwanted question.

And it does not matter if that unwanted question regards their personal insignificant life or the government, they are hiding something.

She could gaze at the table all day, he knew it was just an act.

Maybe someone more regular, someone with a more human attitude would buy it. Sadly, he was in charge of this dark cabaret, and now this young woman entered the stage the only option for her was to talk.

To be honest Karma was glad she tried to pretend, it indicated some intelligence, some willpower to fight. It was too long ago he had an almost routine heartless, cruel conversation. And he needed it. Bad.

What he did not expected was that the blonde young woman would mutter sentence like words, only in French. The nurse was quick to enlighten him as it is highly possible that she's a foreigner and her mother tongue is the only way she could communicate.

So here they were sitting across each other in an almost empty room with a table to divide the space between them and Karma had a hysterical laugh coming up from the bottom of his pitch black heart because Damn! She was clever! He got the feeling in a different life and circumstances they would get along just perfect.

He congratulated her and she answered something with hazy, startled almost scared eyes. He was amused yet irritated and he couldn't decide which feeling would he love to communicate towards the world at that moment. So he behaved himself and searched for his French knowledge. Sadly there was pretty nothing he could have used and the blonde was blabbering something too quick, too quiet, too mumbled to make out the meaning of it.

"Après tout, même le général n'était pas paré contre la plus vieille astuce du monde. Quelle déception! "

He got the feeling she was mocking him.

As he lost all his non-existing patience towards the blonde, he decided to drag her to the scene, hoping (without any real hope because he knew just how lucky he is in this situation) that would shake her back to her memories.

But the nurse, the doctor and all the hospital was against that idea so Karma gritted his teeth and smiled to them with the most shining sadism he felt as he bid the farewell.

" You think she is a terrorist. "

" Call it a hunch. "

" Funny I thought you would say something more longer. "

" Missing my voice? "

" Hardly. "

" Oh I know. My attention. Too bad this case won't solve itself so off we go back to the scene again then to the scientists hoping they have something. "

* * *

Weeks passed and no news came from his group so he enjoyed his fake life to the most he could. He went on dates with Haruna whenever she finished with her school or shift in the coffee bar. They watched some silly comedy in a cinema, walked hours in the park, talked about everything and it was just perfect.

Too bad it was half fake and will end as soon as his phone buzzes.

His mind couldn't settle into the camouflage he was always on alert and calculating. He kept his eyes open for the general but by some miracle they never crossed path again in the coffee bar. Again, he hadn't really went back there just waited in the door for Haruna.

And there was one more little nagging as well, the tiny voice at the back of his mind that something was still off, that he shouldn't rest and not because they were almost busted.

He tried, he really did. But after two minutes at the end of the day when he tried to pin that thought his mind wandered of to Haruna's eyes and smile. And he enjoyed it, living as if he was in love.

He knew the message would arrive at one point, they still had to finish their mission. He started to wish it wouldn't.  
Then he could become someone average, someone normal, no hidden agenda, no blood on his hands, no screams in his dreams, no memories, he had no dreams, being awake was his dreamscape, and he didn't want to leave it, he wish to stay, and he was about to take action to make it reality.

He thought about this, long, night after night when he was alone, when Haruna finally fell asleep on the couth and he could slip into this dreamy world he wanted to keep. He made plans, but in the end he was always presented with the basic problem of his 'hobby'. You can't just stop it, you can't just chicken out because you found something more… anything. If he wanted to quit, either he made sure there was no past, or the past made sure he wasn't a threat.  
As he tucked Haruna into their oversized movie-watching-blanket he thought about all those life he sacrificed for this cause, the memories he had about killing, and wondered if he's regretting it. Or if this is how regret feels.

It wasn't crippling, unbearable, maddening. It was just there as a fly is on the wall even before you notice it.

He was more afraid of the possible outcome of this feeling than his senses.  
So he hovered above Harune a little longer, a little discouraged, a little lost before he placed a soft kiss to her forehead.

* * *

 _A.N._

 _hope you liked it, thanks for reading_

 _have a nice day :)_


	5. Take me too, turn to

_"Revenge, the sweetest morsel to the mouth that ever was cooked in hell." - Walter Scott, The Heart Of Mid- Lothian_

* * *

Karma put his hand on his hip sharpening his eyes. After collecting the witness' testimony and breezing it through he could see that the crowd saw the injured people 'dance with the shadows' 'fighting with an invisible force' 'dodging a ghost' 'avoiding death itself' which was described as a 'blurred dark stuff with some red in it'. Useful indeed.

It seemed more and more that these unlucky people were terrorists in his mind but he couldn't risk a false alarm. He had to wait again at least until the doctors said that blonde could leave the hospital for memory trigging.

Back to square one.

* * *

The school, her job and all this non-stop pretending made her tired, really tired. And her average pain, that dull headache she always had never left, oh no, it was there, the ever reminder of what she is, her past her possible future the constant suffering… at least that was nothing new.

It was strange but things worked. She could finish her projects and study just enough for exams, her job was the same as always and she could find just enough time to play pretend her new role: the girlfriend.

That was hard actually. Because she knew both of them were acting. It's always easier if only one is playing in a relationship, and it's hella hard to be the one who knows the absolute truth about the whole situation. She wished it would be easier… but nothing around her could be 'easy', not after her heritage.

She was strong but had her limits.

Therefore her new character was eager to fall asleep about anywhere. Mostly while watching a movie on the sofa with the terrorist.

Sometimes she wondered about her real situation and the absurdity of the whole picture. She, drifting in and out of dreamland in relative peace next to a murderer. A terrorist. How fitting.

There was only one thing tightening her throat every single time she started her shift. Weather or not would the general turn up with the secretary at that moment, or the next or the next or the one after that.

Then it would be over.

* * *

Sometimes Karma was about to kill someone.

Scratch that.

He would be happy to kill anyone anytime if it would loosen up his stressed mind a little.

Maybe not kill but torture… Just making them dance as he whistles. Be in control.

Because right now he wasn't and it was frustrating as he should be, his position, his connections, his job intended it, it was his rule, but no.

Of course not.

The government finally understood that he had to learn about what happened to be able to help but he was either was grounded for looking where he shouldn't. The secretary was somewhat bearable as she was silent and focused on her job, whatever it was. She scribbled all day long into unknown files, files that should have burned down with the laboratory she worked in just some weeks or months ago with her coworkers.

Sometimes Karma wondered if it bothered her at all.

She was left alone. With a story she couldn't tell because it was a secret.

Was she lonely? Or did she even understood what it meant?

But he never dwelled on it for too long, as it was meaningless.

He sat – half laid – on his couch all day long as he tried to put together the pieces.

He thought it over and over, the past the present, the research the accidents, the attacks all of this and yet.

Yet he missed something. Every single time he missed one piece, something he overlooked.

He was sure the terrorist laid down for a while, two practically failed mission was too much for them, so he had loosen the secretary's security. She had to report where she wanted to go and all, she had constant watch over her but he didn't handcuffed her to himself like last time. They moved on their own, she just had to live with him. Easier than reading reports.

Sometimes he tried to relax a little, to take a break and let his body lead him. He wished he would find the solution on a break by chance. But he only went to the same quiet but busy coffee shop or bar with the interesting waitress. He enjoyed their conversations. He could tease her about her new boyfriend and all.

Their conversations were short, and meaningless. But it became a habit nevertheless. It was a relaxing game compared to his job. And he still couldn't figure out how could she disappear every single time. That was probably the only thing that kept him coming back and chat with her.

The pieces became clearer and clearer as the days went by. He could say what was missing now.

The third party. The one who had beat the terrorists to their own plan. Someone who was faster than them. Someone dangerous, someone who could easily lay out six of them while being invisible. Drugs? Did they use some kind of poison beforehand? Possible.

Then there were the witnesses with their tale of the darkness, that stuff that was only a red and black blur, that monstrous thing that had actually attacked. It couldn't be human. It was too fast and too effective. Too precise.

The victims – he was sure they were all terrorist by now – were all sent into a coma like state by it. Some was crippled for their life. One had it's spine broken thus forced to live his life in a wheelchair, one had a head injury that made her lost her sight, and the amnesia and all those fine lies the doctors told him… Turned out to be half truth. One was truly crippled, and one had lost her ability to see for real. He was absolute sure the blonde was pretending and the other woman with the horror face was just acting as if she was mute. However they were good. The other two were still in coma.

The third party that threatened the terrorists and the government as well. The invisible party.  
He was exited to meet them.

* * *

Nagisa only left his phone on the sofa for a minute but she could sense this was different. He had a habit of glancing every hour, waiting for something. He got mails and messages but she felt as if he was waiting for something bigger.

She made sure he couldn't see her and took it, searching through the messages. Nothing.

Nothing that could be suspicious. Maybe they communicated with complex codes.

She checked the contacts but only full names were there. Nagisa wasn't one to nickname people. She looked for fake names and could feel there was at least two but hadn't had the time to inspect it through.

She slipped it back to the exact position and curled back on the sofa munching on popcorn.

He sat back, gave her a reassuring, heart melting, perfect fake smile and they continued to watched the movie.

Another chance come and Akari took it. She rolled up the fake names and read all messages in light speed. They were coded. She couldn't tell what was the key or anything but she was right. Some were obvious for those who had used them before some seemed as their own system but she was sure ten maybe twenty minutes and she would know everything.

Placing it back again she waited for the camouflage boyfriend to come back before greeting him with a surprise hug and blaming it on the chills she got from the weather and the empty room. She did not need to act the shivering part.

The third time she got a chance, no code remained before her. She solved all of them and learned that they stopped all movement for the time being.

Her surprise attack was a main cause of doing so.  
As she searched through the messages and learned just how much the terrorists know for real, she got the feeling that these eager knight's of a forgotten justice were missing the main point.

The feeling got sickening and horrible and she decided to look up the history of their leader a bit. She had a faint idea and hoped against all she was wrong.

* * *

Their leader was not your typical charismatic handsome fire hearted lone figure from dramas and paintings. He collected them to his group as they all had something to do with the black market, the jurisdiction, the laws but mostly and importantly they all had something to do with breaking the already set rules, the norms and the expectations. Just as his former idol, his teacher, the one and only criminal they all knew and respected because if someone laughed at the world and used it as he pleased then it was him.  
They all knew him from somewhere.  
He disappeared. In some nowhere to be found laboratory some crazy scientist started their – the government's – insane project.  
And they couldn't help.  
Some were in his debt, some just couldn't stand and do nothing.  
It was an open secret in the underworld.

So their leader, obsessed with his master gathered them into a group and formed the perfect plan to help his master.

Only, he was late.

Tragedy stroke and they were just standing, blinking at the fastness of the world, wondering why was this possible.

Shinigami, - his self proclaimed nickname – was devastated and cried revenge, so they helped him. A brand new plan, brand new mission and aim.  
A brand stupid and useless agenda.  
Kicking the dead.  
But strange enough, many came because they were never one to follow the rules, never one to forgive, and mostly because non of them were on good terms with the cause of this – the government.  
Shinigami wished to start the revenge on the second closest to blame – the professor in charge… yet he was late again.

He didn't care, it just meant he needed to start with step two: sending his unmistakable message to the government. Of course he wanted them first to fall apart, to tremble in fear and despair, to think, to search why it is happening.  
His team was full of useful figures, their plan was a masterpiece, he was sure his master was amused by it.  
He was sure it would work.

* * *

Akari resisted to punch a hole in her computer. She was right, of course she was.

The holy mission of the terrorists, the whole cause, their whole reason was fool, pointless and mostly drenching from sinister ideas. She wasn't better, she know but she was provoked.

And she felt the same fury building up again, at how stupid they were, how pitiful their reasoning were, how unjust the whole thing was but mostly because Shinigami was after her sister.

Or tried to be.

He aimed her.

Akari couldn't see reason, couldn't cool her head of, she felt the pain throbbing more than ever, her vision blur and she passed out yet again.

* * *

Nagisa started to worry when Haruna didn't show up at their date, not even after waiting for her two and a half hour and neither did she answer her phone. He thought about it hard before deciding to pay her a visit, in case something happened. He rang her bell and waited.

After another half hour her neighbor arrived and they quickly came to the conclusion that something had to happen because she had to be inside yet not reacting for anything and altogether no matter how you looked at it, it was a fore-bonding situation.

They broke in her door.

Her neighbor found her in her bedroom while Nagisa looked over the apartment for any sign of force, or anything. She was unconscious and looked feverish. Nagisa called for an ambulance, because she didn't want to wake up no matter what they did – a sight slap to her face, cold water, hot water, screaming, shaking – the neighbor agreeing to tidy her apartment until she returns, and him going with her to the hospital.

He wondered if he will bump into his partners or teammates or whatever they were. He knew how to play it cool, it was just a minor problem.

Anyway his role was of a worrying hipster boyfriend, and worry he did, and maybe it was less of an act than before, before he realized just how small Haruna was.

* * *

 _A.N.  
_

 _I promise we are closing on the end, it's just... but it's not far :)  
Hope you liked it, thanks for reading_

 _Have a nice day :)_


	6. And babe I'll make you stay

"To panic at the prospect of being involved in what your dream seem to indicate is normal"  
― Sunday Adelaja

* * *

Panic lured around her all the time ever since she took that thing, ever since she lost her own battle for humanity, that's why it should be something she _is_ used to and something she ignored.  
Waking up in the hospital after a blackout is a reasonable place for panic.  
At least to an average person.  
She reasoned , argued and bargained with herself when and how to "wake up". She actually came around an hour or two after she was brought in. The doctor left her after claiming she's in no grave danger and the nurses found her a bed.  
She woke up to the sent of clean white walls and a presence of a worried terrorist next to her bed. Yet she remained still and "out".  
Clearing her own head and putting together the past event leading up to the point she realized that her previous victims may be here as well…  
With no plan and idea of what will happen she decided to delay her awakening. In reality she hoped Nagisa would leave at one point. He was too good in this act, and she had no plan on losing her focus and crack her own, but the cute man next to her was wearing her nerves thin. She always had a little problem dividing her attention. Right now she was exhausted and wanted everything to just solve itself…  
She choose her best option, falling asleep… would it be that easy.  
The sent of antidotes and medicine, the constant murmuring of the nurses and footsteps echoing on the corridors, Nagisa's phone buzzing from time to time and simply everything around her sent her system on full alert thus making sleep impossible.  
There she laid, eyes closed, breathing under a secure control waiting for the perfect moment to "wake up".

* * *

Nagisa decided to buy something to drink. Hours passed and Haruna was still out but with steady health. The doctors told him it must be exhaustion, tell her to ease her schedule, probably take a week off from work, and maybe the university as well, maybe have a quick vacation somewhere out of town etc…  
While contemplating on what to drink a familiar shade of blonde passed behind him. Not moving a single muscle in acknowledgement he pressed the button to get an ice tea out of the machine, just as the blonde slender girl with a troubling glint in her eyes did nothing to indicate any interaction. Not here, not now.  
Nagisa took a forced long sip from his can and returned back to Haruna's ward. A part of his brain processed the information that the others seem okay enough to walk, or at least Rio is up and okay. He knew they don't have to greet each other but couldn't help the nagging in his brain, that glint in the blonde's eyes only mean trouble as long as he knows her, she's up to something.  
As he's about to enter the room Rio once again appears next to him with the most warning smile on her lips and stares at him, blue eyes going wild.

"Je ne peux pas croire qu'il y ait une chose vivante plus petite que toi sur terre. Vous deux avez l'air bien. "

French. He fought the urge to laugh. After arranging his face into complete confusion he muttered something about not learning it enough and good day and closed the door behind him after making sure Rio was gone with that grin on her face. He will hear about it for years… Or not.  
They never worked together before this whole mission and probably never will. Rio was more into forgery than murder. How she ended up in their team was just as a mystery as how on earth did Shingami found all of them.  
He quickly pushed these thoughts out of his mind, it would only distract him from his acting… or pull him back to reality where in all honesty he did not feel home at all. Not anymore.  
Long ago he didn't care at all whom he killed or why. He got a job, did the job and left with the money. No place to call as home, no family, nothing chaining him down. His younger version would never have those questions he's struggling with right now. As he sat next to the hospital bed, he realized that no matter what, he's the one acting and deceiving this girl. If only he would be just a little hipster guy. If only he would be like everyone else, if only his biggest secret would be how he ate two bars of chocolate on a diet, or anything like that, if only he would have never learned how to kill.  
His past and heritage is something he considered too heavy for such a small and technically weak girl like Haruna. It was the first time he knew about, but the doctors said her immune system wasn't the best and as he watched her sleeping face it did seem like she could sleep for a week if not more.

* * *

The Miss Secretary as Karma still called her sometimes seemed to avoid him for the time but he could tell something was on her mind. As if she wanted to say something but didn't dare. Finally she approached him just when he was about to ask his own question.

" You have a minute?"  
" Maybe three and a quarter, why?"  
" There's something that had bothered me for a while."  
" I know."  
" You…do?"  
" So? What you gonna do about it?"  
" I… If you… Then I… " It was clear he successfully messed up her determination to speak.  
" Why won't you tell me anyway?"  
" But if you do, then there's no need to say it, or at least… There's…"  
" If you don't say anything about it, nothing's gonna change."  
" That is right but how should I put this… It's just a small thing and if you already know I don't see why don't you do something about it."  
" Okay game's over let's clear what are we talking about." He grinned because it was amusing to see how easily she gave up her collected mind once he barked in some nonsense.  
" So you don't know?!" Her eyes grew huge and mortified but apart from that he saw nothing interesting or informative in them.  
" I know that you have something up in your info-filled head but I can't read minds yet."  
" Oh… Anyway" she shook her head and her determination was back." Please in the future don't walk around in only a towel. It can create unwanted uncomfortable situations."  
" Such as?"  
" As in your workmates have some urgent case running into your flat demanding to go with them immediately. "  
" As that?"  
" As that."

Just for the heck of it Karma watched the secretary for one long minute with his typical half grin to see if she will get frustrated but she simply avoided his eyes. As to where she looked, he didn't care.

" Anyway I also wanted to ask something."  
" Won't you react to my problem?"  
" I don't see it as a problem. My subordinates can wait as I dress up. As to my question, is there a possibility that anyone else could know about this project? Anyone who has no connection to the dark side of the law but may have access to something similarly up to date equipment."  
" Your question is very specific."  
" Asking in general won't help my work too much. "  
" At first recall I know that there was no one outside the lab and the government who knew about it. As for the criminals I don't know how they get their information so I can't say anything. "  
" So you say that even your relatives had no idea what you were doing?"  
" Naturally they knew that the project is a top secret. But that's all. "  
" And they had no chance at all to learn more if they tried."  
" That would be it… But if you let me think it over a second…"

Karma remained silent as he could see the woman was raking her memories. He had no specific idea what he was hoping to find but it was better than doing nothing.

" Only those could enter the lab who worked on the project? No visitor? No fellow researcher?"  
" Visiting were bounded by strict laws but if we would have acted all secretive that would have caused more problem than good so we had researcher teams come time to time."  
" But no relative?"  
" Most of our relatives had no interest in such topics."  
" I see. Well, if anything comes to mind please tell me immediately."  
" Only if you promise to not walk around in a towel. "  
" Would you rather I walked without it?"

At this point the secretary had a mortified expression and left without a word and in hurry. Karma grinned to himself watching the woman.

" Off with the towel, it is."

* * *

Nagisa drank his fifth canned ice tea since the doctor reassured him that his girlfriends conditions are definitely not shiny but stable. He wasn't going to leave anytime soon, not until she wakes up but visiting hours neared to the end and his thoughts didn't eased his worries either.  
As he contemplated to get his sixth one, the nurse came and reminded him about the rules. He played his most innocent face, not even acting about the worry part and about a five minutes later they agreed that it was indeed a special occasion. So he got a separate blanket, if the night would turn cold and because the nurse had a way too easy melting heart she brought Haruna's dinner in as well, even though she still gave no sign of being awake.  
Nagisa didn't touch her food but sat closer, focusing on her face, features, anything to get his own thoughts a little out of the way. Her facial features were ultimate average, beautiful mind you, just nothing striking. It was as if mother nature created her specially after the ideal human. It was so perfect that it was just as perfectly forgettable.  
Nagisa tried to focus on these thoughts because if he wished to survive, attachment was a serious hole in success and the more time he sat there the more he realized his mistake. So he was searching for any slightly negative part of this girl before him but it was harder than he imagined. She was indeed like the idea of a normal human.  
He was so lost in his game he forgot to switch on the lamp so when the lights slowly tainted the room in all orange and warm autumn colors he gave up, because if she's the ideal human why searching for any fault?

* * *

Akari felt an incredibly intense pair of eyes slowly preying her open, inch after inch and the feeling was horrifying, plus her whole body was aching for a good walk so when a comfortable natural darkness engulfed the room she found her moment to 'wake up'.  
What she didn't thought that opening her eyes she will find her half-fake-full-terrorist hipster boyfriend looming above her with a look on his face as if she had three eyes and two noses.  
She blinked once, twice, then three more and when he still didn't react she was about to ask if everything was all right when he kissed her. It was tender as usual but full of relief and she almost forgot how they use each other. Almost.  
It made the whole thing bitter but she was better actor than to crack from just this. So when he withdraw his lips she smiled at him, and asked what time is it.

" Around nine. How do you feel?"  
" A little bit sore, my legs would kill for a walk. "  
" I'm not sure. Why don't you eat your dinner first then we will see about that?"  
" Sounds like a plan." They smiled at each other and Nagisa quickly got the tray to give it to her when his stomach growled laudably. She looked at him and didn't fight her laughter. " How about you join me for this dinner?" He looked sheepish but agreed.

After taking a look at the hospital serviced food they sat in a long silence. Then Nagisa looked at her and she couldn't figure out what was on his mind.

" I'm so, sorry I should have known, it's usually like this, I was just so scared and you slept so long and…"  
" Wait, wait, wai- please at least slow down a little. I have no idea what are you talking about."  
" I know how awful hospital food can be yet I forgot to buy something eatable while you were sleeping, I'm so ashamed."  
" Hey, it's okay. I'm not that hungry anyway. You know any place that's open at this hour?"  
" No, Miss, you won't leave the hospital until the doctor says so."

He was suddenly so firm it surprised her. There was a strange determination she couldn't quite understand. He was acting but to what extent she didn't know. And this moment it bothered her greatly.

" And what about you? Surely you got things to do, you can't just wait with me until they say I'm okay. "  
" Of course I can. I'm your boyfriend. "

Again she couldn't draw the line between acting and truth and she was really tired and frustrated, so she just smiled and didn't fight the blush.

" So… You were here the whole day?"  
" All those three hours, yes."  
" Three?"  
" You know we said to meet up at three in the afternoon then you didn't show up, I waited then your neighbor helped to get in to your apartment then we got the ambulance and when the doctor said you were okay just a bit weak it was already six."  
" I am so sorry for all of this."  
" Don't be. Can you tell me what happened?"

The way he looked in her eyes she realized that, yes he's cute, yes he can act but first and foremost he's a killer. His eyes are sharp, calculating, and frighteningly cool. She cracked out a little laugh so she can close her own eyes, breaking that soul-piercing stare.

" I guess I was a bit more tired then I thought so."  
" You don't know how tired you actually are?"  
" Well it's just I can't afford to care. I have schoolwork, then work and I want to spend time with you and others so you know how it is. Sleeping draws the shortest. "  
" You know you can cancel any meeting you want to? No need to straight out exhaust yourself just for some senseless chit-chat. "  
" Maybe, but that would be rude cause they are also extremely busy so it's rare we can meet and…"

He cast her a look which simply killed her will to speak. It was both endearing and terrifying. She quickly checked if this was out of her 'character' but after finding that no, it was as average as a kind person can be, she forced herself to relax. It was a strange day, she has the ultimate card of 'feeling funny' because of a mental black out, so there is absolute no need to worry. Even if the person looking at her as a strange but mostly breakable thing is a terrorist, who has no problem with killing and just spent about one and a half hour inspecting her for the weak points. Or something. He seriously started to creep her out.

" Just, rest as much as you can, I will be back with some eatable food in a minute."

Once again he kissed her forehead like he did so many times before and it always left the strangest confusion in Akari. It was simple and honest, no acting could fake that caring it hold and that is why she felt more and more alert with each kiss passing.  
As her mind was wrapped in this grey question of truth and act Nagisa finally left the room, with the firm promise of a fine dinner.

* * *

Karma hold his tired head with his fist, eyes groggily glued to the screen he was reading, yawn after yawn threatening to break his jaw. A coffee would be salvation at this point but he felt that he was closer to the secret than ever.  
His past day was about reading through every accessible information about the workers of the project, their family, closer friend circle, wider circles, workmates from before and so on. He started with those who had the least interest in the project, family full with writers or teachers, something complete different from gene manipulation, and had the less than 20 possible connection outside the lab.  
Now he was breezing through the leader researchers, starting with the secretary just to annoy her later. He found nothing.  
The project leader was the next, small family, both parents active researchers on biochemistry and biophysics fields, one younger sister interested in the social media. A successful yet timid family, clearly in love with their fascinating way of life. The parents were out of state for decades now, moved as soon as the elder daughter turned 18, leaving the children in care of each other with a light heart. The kids proved themselves to be mature and ambitious enough to solve their life from that point.

Maybe that's why the Yukimura name became more of a legend than anything resembling person. First the parents won medal after award after success, then the older daughter's impressive achievements at a young age of 16 then her alliance-engagement with the equally famous Yanagisawa which somehow ended in a scandal. It was all surreal. The myth only grew with the mysterious suicide of Aguri.

Karma let out a long groan as he stretched his arms above his head. This was fine and all but give close to nothing new useful information. He was about to call it a day and leave for a coffee when his second shadow appeared in the door visibly searching for him.

" Good evening Akabane, I have something that…"

The young man blinked at the newcomer once, then once again with a lazy sly expression, waiting for the woman to finish the sentence. Her discomfort grew with every millisecond and it was almost as refreshing as coffee.

" Akabane, would it be too much to ask to sit at a table like any normal human being rather than practicing… yoga… while reading?"  
" Miss Info-"  
" Manami"  
" Chan. This is still my apartment thus my territory and comfort zone thus I can do as I like. But rest assured it's not yoga, it's merely boredom taking over. Don't mind me, I'm sure there was something else you wanted to tell me."  
" It's common courtesy to be a representative human in the presence of someone else."  
" Does that apply to shadows as well? Ghost? Possible murderers? Freeloaders? "

Karma's smug smile morphed into a grin as Okuda simply gave out a deep sigh and sat down to his sofa.

" Regardless, please sit more… normally. If you may remember you asked if there were any chance of a complete outsider would have any source of the project. I though it over and remembered that Miss Yukimura had a frequent visitor who had no visibly possible connection with either the government or the black market. She just was so well mannered and kind and technically a regular she didn't appear as a visitor in my mind at first."  
" By any chance was this she a relative?"

Okuda crystal clear eyes widened a tiny bit and Karma saw a glint of amusement and acknowledgement in them that made him feel uncomfortable. As if she was surprised he got this much. How annoying.

" Actually, yes. Miss Yukimura had an incredibly close bond with her little sister. She came every day she had the time with her insane busy schedule. "

Karma's relaxed almost sleepy figure turned alert without a muscle moving.

" Which one? The researcher or the little sister?"  
" The sister. She became an idol at a young age and ever since such a simple task of meeting with her older sister was a complicated task of time management and disguises."  
" And you know this much because…?"  
" I was the assistant of Miss Yukimura, of course I knew if she needed to take a break to see her little sister once a week."  
" But she came only for her sister and show no interest in the project or anything?"  
" I think yes. The times they spent together were the most average and sweet family reunion times I saw. Simple chit-chat about task and people they work with. Nothing that would suggest any strange interest in our project."  
" And your boss told her how much about the project after it became a bit more personal than intended?"  
" How would I know that"  
" You were the assistant."  
" That is correct, yet I hope you don't think I was sitting with them every time they got together."  
" Pity." The man tilted his head back a little, closing his eyes sorting the information. " Is this all you wanted to tell?"  
" Yes. And… "

Prying one eye open to look at the woman with a question squinting in his look, he could see the same strange discomfort on her face, like she has something on her mind just don't know how to word it out, and it's either about his one of many strange habits or something completely different. He hoped for the latter.

" Nothing. That's all I wanted to say."  
" Alright then, you wish to further delay my 'yoga' or join me, choose wisely."  
" I will leave, thank you."  
" My pleasure."

* * *

Thankfully an acceptable fast food company decided to make it's profit out of sick and hungry people and opened one of their shops in the next street across the hospital, so Nagisa had to walk only a little. He ordered two menus and left a nice tip for the slightly unfriendly teenager serving at this late hour because right now he would leave a tip for a mass murderer as well if they would give him food. His mind was crushing with escape plans from his life, none of them realistic or out thought enough to be put into action.  
Walking in the hospital, leaving the extra coke to the receptionist with an adorable-guilty face he was famous for in younger days he still couldn't make up his mind to finally decide and leave his past behind. It was tempting, ever so tempting but he just couldn't pull himself to either side of the argument in his head.

Haruna seemed scared.  
This echoed in his mind successfully stopping any coherent thought from forming.  
Why?  
Why wouldn't a normal human be scared of a terrorist. But how does she know? What gave him away?  
Is she scared, though? Was that fear or something else? And if it is fear, was it because of him? Or something else? Was she scared of him or rather… him knowing?  
What?  
What would he know? That she isn't a killer? That she has no dark past?  
Or does she?  
Lying once without a twitch doesn't mean she won't do it again. Would she?  
But how could such a nice person lie into someone's eyes, twice?  
Of course it's too good to be true, isn't it?  
There is no way on earth a completely good person is out there and happens to be his fake girlfriend for cover.

She looked scared. Her eyes were filled with fear.

The moment she woke up and saw him she looked terrified. Not surprised or anything she looked just like the night when the general and the secretary was in the coffee shop. That could mean an impressive sensitivity to dangerous people or… because he himself is everything but…

" Oh thank you, you are a lifesaver."

His rambling, slightly paranoid thoughts disappeared in an instant as he realized Haruna was smiling at him with her angel smile and he was sitting next to her bed, opening the give away food-bags.

* * *

After the assistant left his room, Karma swiftly unfolded his legs from his neck, stretching a bit and deciding to take one last look into the new information he received. He wasn't sure if he had any gut's feeling as to what expect. Maybe it was exhaustion or simple boredom but it sure dulled his mind into a strange grey fog.  
As he looked at the family pictures he decided to save some of them. There was something, he knew but the fog in his head and the tiredness of his eyes were too much and it had to wait till the next day.

* * *

 _a.n._

 _welcome back to this strange strange story once again  
hope you still enjoy it, cause I do all these 'should I trust them, or not' I live for these conflicts. Also having a huge dilemma how and when should they all realize the full picture around them but nah...  
Whatever, hope this year will be eventful and interesting for everyone  
Many thanks for those reviews  
update depends on life  
have a nice day and a year full of laughter. :)_


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